Apron for ore elevator feeders



Jan 17, 1928.

' E. J. OUELLETTE APRON FOR ORE ELEVATOR FEEDERS Filed Nov. 28, 1925 4 sheets-sheet 1 E g l.

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Lag I WW *1 I I, 9 J U wn ESSE Ed 1*. me E E 4 5646416 War BY %W ATTORNEYS Jan. T7, T928,

1,656,602 E. J. OUELLETTE APRQN FOR ORE ELEVATOR FEEDERS Filed Nov. 28, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 R Eflwar'd J. muefi ffa ATTORNEYS Jan. 17, 1928.

- 1,656,602 E. J. OUELLETTE APRON F OR ORE ELEVATOR FEEDERS Filed Nov. 28, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR WITNESSES Ed a J [3 115115 (1% g w BY X6 ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

EDKVARD J. OUELLETTE, 0F ANAGGNDA, MONTANA.

APRON FOR GEE ELEVATOR FEEDERS.

Application filed November 28, 1925.

My invention relates toan apron for a feeder for traction elevators, which are adapted to effect approximately a vertical lift, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is the provision of an apron which will function to preprovision of an apron of the character de- Lit;

scribed which will return automatically to position close to the path of movement of the ascending buckets of the elevator with which the apron is associated after the apron has been forced away from such position by a relatively great stress.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apron of the character described, which will cooperate with a plurality of adjacent ascending buckets of the elevator to prevent passage of loose material from the launder or other discharge spout between the apron and said buckets.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apron of the character described, which is adapted to cooperate with the discharge end of the associated launder and with the bucket of the elevator which passes the discharge end of thelaui'uler to prevent spawls or other relatively large objects from protruding from the bucket over the edge of the latter. I

An important object of the yielding apron to prevent damage to the feed box should the top outlet of the elevator become choked, causing the feed to fall back down into the bottom of the shaft and accun'iulating under the bottom pulley in the boot; l )uring such an event the crusl'iedrock, spawls, etc. are dredged up by the buckets on the be t, and hauled up to the dump plate and fall back down the shaft and into the boot again. Large numbers of oversize rock are caught between the edge of the buckets and the face of the plate. This plate, because of its mounting, springs back and allows the Serial No. 72,059.

rock fragment or spawl to fall into the following bucket or into the boot again, thus the elevator is not damaged by the feeder system nor is my feeder system damaged by the elevator.

In every installation of my feeders I strongly advise that precautions be taken to prevent the choking of the top outlet of the elevator. This can be done by providing the elevator with extra large outlet, or by having the emergency outlet to dump the,

feed onto the top floor of the mill instead of allowing it to fall back down the shaft. If allowed to dump on the floor the attendant would soon discover andcorrect the situation. i

If the suggestion above is carried out itis possible to use a cheap hard cast bucket there is then no chance of buckets being subjected to great shocks or strains and the 7 resulting economies making the Ouellette feeders a profitable investment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure l is a view mainly. in vertical section, and partly in side elevation, showing one form of apron and supporting means therefor in association with the ascending bucketsof a traction elevator, and with a feed plate for conducting materials to such bucket,

Figure 2- is a side elevation. of the improved apron and its mounting,

Figure is a side elevation of a second form of apron and its mounting in association with a feed plate and with ascending buckets of a traction elevator,

Figure 4- is a longitudinal vertical section through the apron and the mounting therefor which are exhibited inFigure 3,

Figure 5 is a plan view of the supporting and operating means for the apron exhibited in Figures 8 and at,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing another form of apron andniounting therefor,

Figure 7 is a plan sectional view of the structure exhibited in Figure 6, showing also a pair of side guards associated with the feed spout of the assembly, a portion of the bottom of the feed spout being broken away,

Figure 8 is a view similarto Figures 1 t ll and 3, showing another form of apron and mounted in association with a feed plate and the ascending buckets on the elevator,

Figure 9 is a section substantially on the line 9-9 of Figure 8, which is in the direc tion of the arrows, and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the delivery structure at the upper end of the elevator, illustrating the means for preventing clogging and (IllQliing of the main discharge launder at the upper end of the elevator.

The apron exhibited in Figures I1. and comprises a body portion 1 having the form of a plate which is disposed vertically edgewise and is provided at its upper edge with an upwardly and rearwardly turned flange or edge portion 2, and at its lower end with a downwardly and rearwardly inclined llanu'e or lower edge portion 3. A screw threaded attachii'ig stud & extends rearwardly of the central portion of the body 1 ol' the apron and has a flange are its inner end apertured for the reception of fastening d: wicc;--:, such as the bolts and nuts; indicated at U, which secure the attaching men'iber firmly to the body portion 1 of the apron. The end portions of the fastening devices (3 at the front of the body portion 1 of the apron are countersunk as not to extend beyond the plane of the front il'ace oi. the latter.

The apron is movable bodily within the limits at an oblique angle between the inclined lower end portion 7 of a feed plate 8, which may be the bottom of a feed spout or launder, not shown, or other suitable conduit for supplying crushed rock, ores, or other similar material to the buckets, and a lower inclined baille or guard plate 9 which is parallel to the portion 7 of the feed plate. The upwardly and rearwardly turned flange at the upper end of the body of theapron is substantially papallel to the discharge end portion "5' of the feed plate and may carry a renewable wear plate 10, which will move close to the under face oi? the portion 7 of the feed plate when the apron is moved upwardly and rearwardly from the position shown in Figure l. x lll the same time, the lower edge of the downwardly and rearwardly inclined flange 25 will move in a plane parallel and close to the lower battle plate 9.

A, supporting and guide arm for the apron includes a straight section 11 which tends slidably through renewable bushings 12 which are secured in alined openings in the inclined upper end portions of spaced arms 13 and la, respectively, of a bracket 15 that is secured at 16 to a stationary support 17. The supporting and guide arm for the apron also includes an angular section 18 which is shown as being a tubular elbow that is threadedly engaged at one end with the adjacent end portion of the straight section 11 ol the sup iorting and guide member and is threadcdly engaged at its opposite end with the stud projection l The upper end portions oi the arms 1?; and 14; of the bracket 1.5 may support lubricant cups it) which are adapted to feed lubricant through suitable apertures in the bushings; 12 to the relatively moving suriia of the b'uehiutrs and the straigzght section ll 0'; the supporting and g'uidc arm for the apron.

Stop collars Elli are l--TUClll.'(;( l. by means of set screws i l, to the straigl lion l1 oi? the slipped-ting and guide arm for the apron above the inclined upper end portions of the brachrt al'lin; fill and l-l, and cooperate with said brat-hot arms to limit the downward and forwardv movement oi? the supporting and guide arm for the apron, and tlu-retorc to limit the movement oi the body portion 1 of the apron toward the path of movement of ll ascending buckets-s which are st-rcured on the outer face oi an elevator belt Q as shown in Figure l. The belt 2 3 trained about a pulley 21 which is sup ported to turn about a horixouiai axis and the path oi movement oi the ascending bucl zcts ol' the elevator will pass close to the front face of the body portion l of the apron when the apron is at the limit o'l' its downward and outward moreu'ieut as shown in l igures l and lit is; obvious that gravity will tend to hold the apron at the limit oi its downward and outwanl movement. However, I prefer to make use of an expansion spring which is coiled about the straight section 11 of the supporting and guide arm. between the lower slop collar 20 and the inclined upper end portion of the bracket arm 13 and which will function to positively assure the return oi the apron to the position shown in l igures l. and alter the apron has been forced from such positioi'i by a relatively great stress.

hen the apron is at the limit of its downward and outward movement, which is the normal posiliim thereof, the rearwardlr and upwardly inclined llange or upper ci'lgc portion ol? the apron will extend rear wardly and upwardly beyond the edge oi the lower end portion 7 of the discharge member of the feeding mechanism with which the apron may be associated. The down "ardly and rearwardly inclined flange or lower edge portion 3 of tlumipron will lie in a plane which is located rcarwardly otthe inclined lower baflie plate 9. The latter may be supported on arms such as indicated at 26 and 27 respectively, extending :irom the hcreinabove mentioned stationary support 17, and this plate 9 may have a renewable wear resisting face covering if desired. The height of the body portion of the apron greater than the distance between the adjacent enrlo oi? adjacent buckets oi the elevator with which the apron associated Hll lil

ill?) 3 iii) fit) so that each ascending bucket of the elevator will be in operative position "with respect to the front face of the: body portion of the apron before the b'ucketnext thereabove has passed completely above the level of the upper end of the body portion of the apron. It therefore will be manifestthat the apron will act in conjunction. with the feed plate, and the buckets on the ascending side of the elevator to prevent loose material from falling from the feed plate between the buckets, or belt of; the elevator and the feed plate intov thebottom of'the shaft in which the lower end port-ion of the elevator is located, and from which the-material is to be lifted by means ofthe elevator. Moreover, the apron will act to preventmaterial which enters the bucket from extending over the edge of the bucket toposition to come into contact with a stationary part at a higher level in the shaft which might cause injury to theelevator. Should a relatively large object, such as a large piece of rock, pass from the feed plate to position to enter the bucket and be too large for the bucket to carry, the pressure ofsuch relatively large object on the apron will cause the spring to yield and the apron will move upwardly and rearwardly, thuspermitting the relatively largeobject'to fall to the bottom of the shaft without causing injury to the. elevator and without stopping the operation of the elevator.

The apron exhibited in Figures 3 and. 4 comprises a body portion having theform of a plate disposed vertically edgewise and having a rearwardly extending flange 31 at its upper end, on which a renewable wear plate 32 is secured by fastening devices 33 orv other suitable known means. The apron body is supported'at the'forward end of a longitudinally movable supporting and guide rod 34 which is slidable in alined bushings 35 that aresecured in openings in bearings at the upper ends of spaced arms 36 of 'a-bracket 37.

Thelatter is secured, as at 38, on a stationary support 39. The supporting and, guide member 34 has a flange 40at theforward end thereof apertured for the reception of. fastening devices 41, whereby the body portion 30 of the apron is secured firmly to the sup porting guard arm 34 at the forward end; of the latter. Lubricant receptacles such as indicated at 42'1nay discharge through suit able openings to the relatively moving, sur: faces of thesupporting and guide member 34 and the bushings 35. A stop collar 43 which:

is secured on the rearward end portionof the supporting andguide member 34:, asby means of a set screw 44, will cooperate with the adjacent bracket arm to limit, the forward axial movement of themember 34, and

therefore the movement of hthe body of the apron toward thepathof movement of the ascending, buckets 45: whichare carriedby of the hub of. the bell crank.

yondthe edge of a feed plate 47 which may be the bottom of the discharge end portion of the launder or other chute for delivering crushed rock, ores, or other materials to the ascending buckets of the traction elevator.

The body of the apron carries a rearwardly extending guide arm 48 which extends slidably through an opening 49 in the ad jacent bracket arm 36 and engages with the latter to prevent the apron from being turned about the axis of the supporting and guide member 34, the guide arm 4-8 being parallel with the guiding and supporting arm 34. The means for returning the apron to the limit of its movement in a forward direction and for yieldingly resisting movement of the apron away from the path of movement of the ascei'iding buckets may comprise a bell crank 50having a hub portion thereof disposed between u iistanding lugs 51 on a supportingplate and connected with such lugs by means of a horizon tal pivot element 53, which extends through a-lined openings in the lugs 51 and the bore Pivot clei'nent 53 is retained against accidental displacement axially in any suitable known manner as by means of retaining collars 54 which are secured at 55 on the extreme end portions of the pivot elements One arm of the bell crank 50 extends upward as indicated at 56, and is pivot'ally attached at its upper end at 57 to one end of a link 58, which is pivotally attached at its opposite end'at as.) to the rearward end portion of the guiding and supporting arm 34 for the apron. The other arm of the bell crank is substantially horizontal and is a straight spring bar indicated at60 which extends in the general direction ofthe apron substantially at right angles to the arms 56 of the bell crank. The

spring arm 60 supports a weight (Sl which is slidable therealong and can be secured to the spring arm in adjusted position on the latter by means of a set screw'62. Obviously, the Weightwill act to urge the spring arm 60 downward and therefore will tend to swing the arm 56 of the bell crank toward the apron. The apron thus will be retained at the limit of its forward stroke until a pressure suflicient to overcome the resistance of the weighted springarm has been imposed on the apron body, tending to. movethe apron rearwardly. Such pressure on the apron body may result from the falling of a relatively large object, such as a large piece of rock, from the feed plate 47 or to one of the buckets l5 and thence against the front face, of the apron body. This resistance of the rearward movement ofthe apron can be lilli weight 01 along the spring arm 60, and it of course will be understood that the sprii'lg arin sutliciently stilt to sustain the weight which it carries without appreciable tlexure under normal operating conclitimis.

The apron exhibited in Figures 5 and 6 comprises a body portion havii'ig the form (it a plate that is disposed vertically edgewise and has a rearwardly extending flange 71 at its upper edge on which a renewable wear plate 72 is secured. A supporting and guide arm 72 extends rearwardlv from the central portion 31? the body 70 of the apron through alined openiin in spaced upstanding arms 71 and 75 respectively. of a bracket 76. The bracket To is secured, as at 71', on a statiol'iary slu port "[13. It compression spring 79 that coiled about the supporting and guide arin Til bflween the bracket 7 and a stop collar 80 that is secured on the supporting and guide member 7 between the lnfiaclnel arms 7-11 and 15. tends to urge the supporting and guide arm 7 3 in a forward direction, and thus; lends to resist inward movement of the apron body from position close to the path of movement of the aseeruliug bur-hots S1 ol :2 traction elevator which is adapted to elite! a vertical lift and which ii'lcludcs the belt, 82 on which the buckets are supported. The body por tion T0 01? the apron also may have a rearwardly extending guide arm 83 which extends slidably through an opening 81 in the adjacent bracket arm T1, and cooperates with the wall of the opening 81 to prevent the apron from turning about the axis of the supporting and guide arm 73. The rearwardly turned flange 71 at the upper end of the 110C y of the apron extends beyond the edge of the discharge end portion of an inclined :iieed plate in) with which the apron is associated. and which'is adapted to discharge materials over the wear plate 72 into one of the buckets S1 of the traction elevator. The height of the body portion 70 of the apron is greater than the distance between adjacent buchets 81 ot the elevator,

The teed plate 85 may be the bottom of a trough shaped launcer or chute, and as 1l1()'\-.'1i in Figure 7, vertical blocks 811 may be disposed at the sides of this feed chute, at the discharge end of the latter between said sides of the teed chute and outwardly oii'set portions 8? of side guards 88 which are secured, as at 89, to the sides 01 the feed chute, whereby material will be prevented from spilling from thefeed chute or over the end edges of the structure at the upper end of the apron. The side guards 88 have the outwardly otlset-pol'tions 87 extending in flanking relation to the path of movement of the ascending buckets, and the side guards may have the extreme forward'end portions thereof further otiset outwardly as indicated at 00 to clear the adjacentperipheral edge portion of a pulley 91 over which the belt 82 of the elevator paeses.

The operation of the form oi. the device exhibited in Figures .0 and 7 is identical in essential respects with the operation of the terms of the device which have been hereinabove describedp In the assemblies shown in Figures 8 and 9. an apron is shown as being a plate disposed vertically edgewise to the path of ascending buckets 22 on the belt 2 ot' the hereinbet'ore mentioned traction elevator. The plate 100 is attached to the lower end portions ot a pair of swinging hanger bars 101 by means oil. upper and lower pairs of brackets 102 and 1021 respcctirelythe brackets 102 having arms secured to the lateral edge portions of the plate .100 adjacent to the upper end of the latter and having arms 102 extending slidably through arcuate slots 101 in the side walls of a box like structure, generally dee'gnated 101 The lower brackets 103;} are attached to the side edge portions 01 the plate 1.00 adjacent to the lmrer end of said plate and have arins 103" Which extend slidably through arcuatc slots 10?. in said side walls 105 at the box like .sl'rlu-ture 11113. The arms 10L and 1023 are secured to the hanger bars 101. 'llhehanger bars 101 have alined openings relatively adjacent to, but spaced from their upper ends, for the reception of a horizontal supporting rod 108 which has the end portions thereof supported by suitable stationary supj iorts. such as indicated at 101). A cross bar 110 extends across the extreme upper end poi-- tions of the hanger bars 101. A retractile spring 111 connects the rod 11.0 with a fixed support 112111111 sorvesl'o return the hanger bars 101 and the apron 100 from the dotted line position indicated in Figure E5 to the full line position of Figure (-3. The apron 100 carries a rearwardly extending flange 113 on to which material may be disclnugcd from the downwardly int-lineal outer end portions 111 of a horizontal lecd plate 11:3. The side plate 115 is supported within the box like structure 100 between the side walls 105 and below the discharge end ol a chute 116. The box like structure .100 is open at the side thereof next to the elevator and may have a bottom 117 on whicl i are disposed spaced stops 118 and 115) respectively. These steps are adapted to engage with the lowerend ot the apron 100 to limit the swinging of the latter. The operation of the form of device shown in Figures b and 9 is identical in essential respects with the previously described forms of the device.

It is desirable that the outlet for material at the top of the elevator should not be per"- mitted to be choked, which would result in the material falling back into the bottom of the shaft and accunndatin under the lower pulley ot the elevator designated 120.

The material fromthe buckets 22 is passed from the buckets as they pass over the pulley 120 into the discharge chamber 121. This discharge chamber has a bottom wall 122 and a vertical wall 123 againstwhich the,

material may be thrown from the buckets, A discharge launder or conduit 124 leads from an opening 125 in the lower end of the wall 123 and is inclined downwardly. A-n inclined baffle 126 is providedon the bottom wall 122 at the edgeofthe latter which is nearest to the elevator and prevents the material from falling from the discharge chamber 121 into the shaft 127 of the elevator, so long as there is not an undue accumulation of material within the chamber 121, the upper edge of the balile 126 being slightly higher than the level of the upper edge of the opening 125. 7

However, it is obvious'that any clogging of the main delivery of the discharge conduit 124: would resultin accumulation of material in the chute 121 and that thematerial would fall from the mass thereof in the chamber 121 into the shaft 127 after the material in the chamber 121 was piled up therein above the level of the upper edge of the baffle or guard plate 126. I, therefore, provide an auxiliary delivery conduit or outlet 128 which opens into the chamber 121 betweenthe inclined baflie 126 and the plane of the adjacent wall of the elevator shaft 127. Therefore in the event that the main discharge conduit 124 becomes choked, the overflow of the material which accumulates in chamber 121 through the auxiliary outlet 128 and will fall onto a lower floor 129 where such material is likely to attract the attention of an operator oft'he device and because of the undue accumulation of the material in the discharge chamber 121 can be quicklyremoved.

Obviously the invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms otherthan those which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations thereof as fairly fall within the scope of the ap pended claims.

1. In combination, a traction elevator having buckets for effecting a vertical lift of loose materials, a feedmember having the discharge end thereof proximate to the path of movement of the buckets on the ascendin side of the elevator, and a yielding apron associated with said feed member for guiding materials from said feed member into a bucket of said elevator.

2. In.. combination, a traction elevator having buckets for effecting a. vertical lift of loose materials, a feed member having the discharge end thereof proximate to the path of movement of the buckets on the ascending side of the elevator, an apron for deflectingmaterials from said feed member into a bucket of said elevator, and yielding means resisting movement of said apron away from the path of movement of the ascending buckets of the elevator.

3. In combination, a. traction elevator having spaced buckets for eflecting a sub-.

discharge end of said feed member.

a. In combination, a traction elevator having spaced buckets for effecting a sub stantially vertical lift of loose materials, a feed member adapted to dischargeinto the path of movement of the buckets on the ascending side of said elevator, an apronhaving a plate-like bod portion, means for supporting said bocy portion vertically edgewise in the plane between the path of movement of the ascending buckets of the elevatorand-the discharge end of said feed member, saidapron having a rearwardly extending flange at its upper end extending rearwardly of the discharge end of said feed member. v i

5. In combination, a traction elevator having spaced buckets for efi'ecting asubstantially vertical lift of loose materials, a feed memberadapted to discharge into the path of movement of therbuckets onthe ascending side of said elevator, an apron having a plate-like body portion, means for supporting said body portion vertically edgewise in the plane betweenthe path of movement ofrthe ascending buckets of the elevator, and the discharge end of said feed member, said apron having a rearwardly.

extending flange at itsupper end extending rearwardly of the discharge end of said feed member, and a renewable wear plate superimposed onsaid flange of the apron.

6. In combination, a traction elevator having spaced buckets for effecting a substantially vertical lift of materials, an inclined feed member for feeding materials to said buckets, an inclined baflle plate located at a lower level than the discharge end of said feed member and substantially parallel to the latter, an apron movable between said lower baffle plate toward and away from the path of movement of the ascending buckets on said elevator.

7.111 combination, an elevator including a flexible carrying member and spaced buckets on the carrying member, said elevator being adapted to effect a vertical lift of loose materials, a feed member arranged to discharge in the path of the ascending buckets of the elevator, and a yielding apron having a body portion supported in a plane between the discharge end of said teed memher and the path of movement of said buckets, said body portion ofthe apron being located below the level. of: the discharge end of the feed member and having a height greater than the distance between adjacent buckets of said elevator.

H. In combination, a traction elevattn' having spaced buckets :lor ellecting a sub stantially vertical li'tt oi. materials, an inclined :t'eed member for feeding materials to said buckets, an inclined battle plate lorated at a lower level than the discharge end ol' said :lieed member and substantialti' [)Hi'fllltl to the latter, an apron movable be tween said lower ballle plate toward and away from the path of movement oi the ascending buckets on said. elevator, said apron comprising a body ptjirtion ot' platelilre form disposed substantially parallel to the path of movement ot the ascending buckets of the elevator and having a rear wardly and upwardly inclined llange at its upper endextending beyond the discharge end of said feed member, said body portion having a downwardly and rearwardly turned flange at its lower end extending close to the plane of the lower battle lneinber, a supporting member having a pair oi spaced arms including inclined upper end portions having alined openings, and a supporting and guiding arm attached to said apron body and extemling slidably through the openings in the arms of said supporting 1neniher, and means for limiting the sliding movement of said guidii'igand supporting arm in the openings in the arms ol- Silltl supporting member.

5). In combination, a traction elevator having spaced buckets for ell'ecting a substantially vertial lift of materials, an in clined teed member for feeding materials to said buckets, an inclined battle plate loeated at a lower level than the discharge end of said feed member and substantial y parallel to the latter, an apron movable be.-.

tween said lower batllelplate toward and away from the path of movement oi. the ascending buckets on said elevator, said apron comprising a body portion of platelike form disposed sul stantxiall parallel to the path of movement of the ascending buckets of the elevator and having a rearwardtt and upwardly inclined flange at its upper end extending beyimd the discharge end of said ieed member, said body portion having a downwardly andrearwardl turned flange at its lower end extending close to the plane of the lower ballle member, a support ing member having a pair of spaced arms including ii'ielined upper end portions having alined openings, at supporting and guiding arm attached to ,sa id apron body and extending slidably through the openings in the arms of said supporting member, means for limiting the sliding movement ol saitlguit'b ing and supporting arm in the openings in i the arms of said St11.)1)()1'tll1g member, and spring means urging said apron toward the path of movement of the ascending buckets of said elevator. X

10.111 a feeder for a tiractimi elevator having buckets for ell'eeting a substantially vertical lift, a feed spout, an apron placed under the discharge end of. the feed spout for guiding the material from the spout into the buckets, said apron being mounted to yield away from the buckets.

11.111. a feeder for a traction elevator having buckets for etlecting a sul'istanijiall v vertical lift, a feed spout, and a vield:ible apron mounted under the discharge end of the spout for guiding material. from the Feed spoutinto the adjacent bucket and movable awayt'rom the buckets, the apron being of a height:- greater than the distance betwern llie adjacent ends of ai'ljacent buckets.

121a a feeder for a. traction elevator having buckets for elfecting a substantially vertical lift, means for delivering material to the buckets, and an apron below the dclivering means and adapted to yield away and upward from an adjacent bucket of the elevator. 

